Battered American flag found in rubble, hangs over Plaza Towers site

Responders moved by powerful moment

A battered American flag, found in the rubble of Plaza Towers Elementary, now hangs over the site as a show of respect for the victims and a country in mourning.

KOCO 5's Katy Blakey spoke with two volunteers who were allowed at the recovery site, as workers methodically made their way through the rubble and discovered the flag.

"You could tell they had a lot of respect for the people who lost their lives," said volunteer Dan Corbin. "You could tell they wanted to be there. It was inspiring to watch."

Dan Corbin and Mark Andruss work for PilotLogistics. The Yukon-based company is offering free fuel to first responder vehicles and construction machinery used in the recovery efforts.

While the pair was fueling vehicles at the Plaza Elementary, recovery crews uncovered what's believed to be the school's American flag. They recorded video of the moving moment. It shows first responders covered in dirt and mud all stopping, to gather around the flag as they raised it over the site.

"All the first responders stopped," said Mark Andruss. "They brought a tract over and beat posts into the ground. And attempted to hang this battered flag. It had holes in it. You could see through it. For all the responders to actually stop and take that kind of respect to hang that flag. It hits you right here, ya know? We're all Americans. This is the greatest country in the world. To see that is amazing."

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